


Perseverance

by Northern_Nightingale



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Angst and Humor, F/M, Friendship/Love, Gen, Implied Relationships, Spoilers, Swearing, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-05
Updated: 2016-09-05
Packaged: 2018-07-29 11:24:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7682611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Northern_Nightingale/pseuds/Northern_Nightingale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trust, like love, is a strange thing· while it may be given unconditionally by one side, the other is not obliged to reciprocate.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Tainted Heart

**Author's Note:**

> I should probably let you know that I am not a native speaker and that I have no beta. So please, if you spot any mistakes (and you WILL) let me know. :)
> 
> The title of this chapter is from this amazing song from Adrian von Ziegler. The music is so "Briarwoodesque". :P  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiKoFxTUNJs
> 
> [Update: Made some minor changes and corrected some mistakes.]

“This is really _not_ the time Vex'ahlia!”, Percy's voice came strangled through gritted teeth.

He used her whole name and she felt a pang thump inside her chest.

“Percival...”, she took one step towards him, raising a hand to touch his turned back.

“Please”, he almost whimpered but in a wholly dignified way. Vex had never met anyone more capable of holding his bearings quite as well as Percy could, even in the most dire situation.

“I shall leave if that is what you want”, she managed, hand frozen in midair, ready to comfort or retreat on command.

“Yes. Yes, I think that would be quite reasonable, considering...”, he turned his head lightly, his back still facing her. He did not reveal his face, she could still not see his eyes, just the bronze rim of his glasses glittering in the firelight. He stayed like this, not facing her but not completely turning away either and Vex realized that he was waiting. Waiting for her to make a decision.

Vex studied him. His hands were braced on his father's desk supporting him, a sheet of paper splayed between them, his shoulders hunched, seemingly burdened by the weight of a whole castle, a whole city. He looked trapped. He looked sad. And he looked like he genuinely wanted her to leave. Vex's raised hand fell at her side and without further hesitation she just bowed her head slightly at him and left the room.

 ….............

“Why the long face, Stubby?”, Vax's hand dropped on her head and gave her hair a shuffle as he raised his legs over the bench one by one and plopped down right next to her.

A small sigh escaped Vex'ahlia's nose before she could stop it, her eyes shifting from her still full plate to her brother's face. She could see the light humour ebb away, being replaced by mild concern which got worse the longer it was taking her to give him an answer.

“S'nothin'”, Vex mumbled, choosing that precise moment to shove the first spoonful of the day inside her mouth, eyes returning to her plate.

“My ass!” Of course he wouldn't be fooled... “What's goin' on?”

She put her spoon down again and let her eyes drift over every person around the table. The entirety of Vox Machina was watching her expectantly. Everyone but Percy, she hadn't seen him since last night. Vax slid his hand on her shoulder and squeezed lightly. “Vex'ahlia...”, he whispered, his worry a physical thing, covering her like a blanket, smothering her. Oh, how she hated when people she loved used her own name as a weapon against her. She knew she had to tell him though, she had to tell all of them.

“It's Percy.” She saw Keyleth tense, her hand squeezing Pike's smaller one under the table where they were sitting side by side. “He received a letter yesterday afternoon.” She saw the questions forming in the group's eyes and before they could interrupt her, she answered: “I don't know from whom it is and I don't know what it is for... All I know is that it made him withdraw into himself.” She saw the disappointment.

“That means nothing, he does that all the time!”, Scanlan tried to reassure the group with a dismissing wave of his hand.

“Yeah! I mean he is always severe”, Grog continued. “Second after you of course Oh! Broodlord Vax!”, and he gave a mock bow to a glaring Vax.

“It's not like that!”, Vex protested. “I mean yes, he is quite dour most of the time and for unimportant reasons but I haven't seen him like this since...”, she allowed herself a small breath remembering the way he looked when she had come back from the death he had caused and she came to the realisation that then, although concerned, he hadn't looked remotely as devastated as he had last night. No. The last time she had seen him like this was: “the day we found him.”

Silence fell over the table. Vex's half-elven ears twitched as she heard the unmistakable footfall on stone from the corridor outside the kitchen. Trinket nuzzled her cheek with a low moan and she grabbed both sides of his face and shoved hers in the soft fur of his neck. From the corner of her eye she took a glimpse of her brother's arched eyebrow, a quizzical expression on his still bleary eyes as the heavy wooden door opened and all the heads turned to Percy, immaculately dressed, clean-shaven and with a bright smile on his lips. “Good morning!”, he exclaimed. A little _too_ enthusiastic, Vex thought.

“Good morning Percy”, Keyleth replied, her tone cautious.

“Percy, do you feel alright?”, Pike asked, voice tinged with suspicion.

“Of course! Why wouldn't I?”. His dark circles, magnified by his glasses, spoke louder than his words.

“What about the letter you received?” Vex almost smirked to the sincerity and straightforwardness of Pike.

“Ah. This”, Percy gave an undiscernible look at Vex. “It was nothing, truly. I overreacted, it is quite commonplace, don't you agree?”, he gave them that self-depracating smile that seemed to be his answer to everything and moved to sit beside Keyleth, being sure that the matter was resolved.

“See? I told you. Oh the nobility and their antics... Why do you crave the drama so, I shall never understand. Percy, you should have learned a thing or two all this time from us, the simpler folk.”

“Simple indeed, Scanlan”, Vex shot back. She was cross. She knew something was wrong, she could feel it, she could _smell_ it. But, obviously, Percy had no intention of sharing even a little slither of what was troubling him with them. He was choosing once again to be alone amongst them. He was choosing not to trust them. A thick layer of sadness stifled her annoyance and she wanted to ask him _why_ _, although_ she knew she couldn't in front of everyone. He had also made it perfectly clear that he would not confide in her. And so she got up, her hand still idly petting her bear, and walked to the door, casually addressing her brother: “If you need me, I'll be practising.”

 ….............

Whitestone was always so beautiful... Even immediately after the Rebellion, back when the corpses of the Briarwoods were still warm. Even then, it had always seemed breathtaking in Vex'ahlia's mind. Haunting, ancient stone lay beneath layers of eerie snow, rigidity and frigidity underlying every aspect of this place. Yet there was also goodness and light. The people here, are kind· ever kind, even after all the darkness they had witnessed and lived through for all these years. They believe in Pelor, the god of Sunlight, so often in stark contrast with their surroundings. They don't give up, they persevere. Perseve...

Percival.

He is so much like this city he grew up in, Vex realizes. He is austere and so proper, his clothing and his manners carved, always presenting himself as every inch the cold and aloof lord. But amongst their ragtag group, they all know by now that what he is hiding under that expertly constructed facade is a humorous and kind boy – who occasionally believes he is a demon.

Vex'ahlia had truly believed that they had saved him. Not when they got him out of his cell. Not when they took him in their mismatched family. Not even when they helped him take his revenge on the Briarwoods. It was the smaller things. When Grog gave him a drink from his best ale. When Scanlan threw his gun in an acid pool. When Vax kept watch with him beside a campfire. When Pike refused to believe that he was as lost as he thought. When Keyleth sat serenely by his side for hours, reading. When Vex called him by his full name. And when she forgave him about her death. It seems though like they hadn't won a war, but merely several battles.

Percy didn't tell her. Percy wanted her to leave. Percy lied to all of them. Percy is hurt and he won't let them help.

 

The ranger was standing in front of a pierced target, one hand on the arrow embedded in it and the other on her bow, leaning her weight on it, lost in her tumultuous thoughts. She could not register the soft late morning breeze from the Alabaster Sierras that was dancing through the emerald foliage of the nearby treeline and made long wisps of chocolate brown hair flow around her face. She did not register the faint snoring of Trinket who was taking his post-breakfast nap on the dry soil near the row of targets, the sun hitting his auburn fur, making him almost purr in delight in his slumber. She did not register the whisper of grass under bare feet behind her. And so the hand on her armoured shoulder startled her. To say the least.

“Keyleth!”, she screamed dropping her bow and arrow causing a loud clatter.

“I-I'm sorry Vex! I'm so so sorry! I thought you heard me, you always do!” Keyleth sounded as panicked as Vex looked. “Does this mean I'm stealthier now?”, she asked with a small smile tugging one corner of her lips, her hand gestures becoming increasingly animated. “I can feel it, I'm more in tune with nature. I din't even wake Trinket!”

At that Trinket let out a defiant “Mmmmrwooooh.”

“Oh... Well, all right! I'm getting better is what I'm saying. Maybe it's Vax's influence. I think he's rubbing off on me...”, a faint blush spread over her cheeks.

Vex, doubled over with her hands on her knees, taking long trembling breaths trying to calm her racing heart, gave Keyleth a thoroughly unamused glare.

“Yes! Right! Not what I came here to talk about!”

“What _did_ you come to talk about, Keyleth?” Vex's patience was starting to wane.

The druid closed her eyes, took a deep breath through the nose, and when she opened them again the seriousness in them sobered Vex, reminding her that the person in front of her was on her way to become a princess of a tribe, someone who could understand the difficulties of having to be in charge, whether you liked it or not. “I came to talk about Percy.” Someone he could relate with.

Vex was glad once again that they all had each other and that he, in particular, had someone like Keyleth – _infuriating_ , awkward, sweet, caring Keyleth – worrying for his sake. “Did he say anything?”

“No, and that's what worries me. I _know_ he is hiding something, but I wanted to talk to you before I tried anything. I wanted you to tell me what happened last night.”

“Honestly, darling? There's nothing more to say than what I told you earlier.” Vex let out a sigh. “I saw him receive the letter and read it. And that's it. He wouldn't tell me anything about it.”

“You did ask, right?”

“Of course I did! He wouldn't speak to me though. He didn't want me there. I had the feeling he really didn't want _me_ there...” Vex's eyes fell on her boots. Why would he? However much she wanted to, she could understand none of his misgivings. He was a _Lord_ for fuck's sake! And she was wild and crude Vex, running through the woods with a bear, consciously rejecting every semblance of civility. He had been possessed by a fucking shadow and all she could do to fix it was call his stupid name! She _couldn't_ help him... She allowed herself that tiny moment of self-doubt and then she snapped back with a bright smile – none of that meant she wouldn't try. “But you? You are his best friend Keyleth, if he won't talk to you, he won't talk to anyone. So go!”, she exclaimed with a scooting motion and that smile still nailed on her face. “Go and speak with him and find out what was in that letter!”

“Oook...” Keyleth let Vex herd her away for a few feet and then with a last sidelong glance towards the ranger and her forced smile, she reluctantly started walking by herself in the direction of the castle.

“Maybe you are the one he needs”, Vex muttered at the druid's receding back as her smile faded. All she could do for now was snatch her bow from the ground as Trinket let out a sad moan and ran to her side.

 


	2. Fare Thee Well

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is basically slightly altered or expanded existing scenes, but I really liked them so I couldn't help it. :)  
> In general, I wasn't sure if I wanted to go canon or not so, for now, I will be taking liberties with the existing timeline and events but I think the time will come when I'll go another way. What matters to me the most is maintaining the general feel of the series without retelling the exact same story.
> 
> The title is from another amazing Adrian von Ziegler song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz_O-TViqwc  
> I think I would very much like to use titles of his songs for the entirety of my work if possible, since his is the only music I can write to.

The fight with the Rakshasa came as a surprise in one of the very few places they could still feel safe. It shook Vax'ildan to his core and, as a natural consequence, Vex'ahlia as well. She almost lost her brother once again and she was certain that if it wasn't for their two smallest companions, she actually would have. Thinking of your other half's barely prevented demise tends to put everything else under a completely new perspective and so she almost forgot, actively pushing all other nagging thoughts about dragons, the Feywild and Percy at the very back of her mind.

The only thing she could not forget was her broom. Percy and she had talked so much about improvements and yet nothing had been done yet. It was entirely reasonable that she wanted to ask him about its fate since they were about to venture into the Feywild after all, and they would all need their equipment to be as good and effective as possible. Walking down the corridor to his workshop with the broom in one hand, she was met by a very enthusiastic Pike, shouting: “Let's get shitfaced! COME OOOON!!!” and her brother who, upon seeing her, put his arm across her chest, stirred her one hundred and eighty degrees and dragged her with them, shouting himself: “SHITFAAACEEED!!!”.

The momentarily disorientated ranger dug her feet on the carpeted floor and raised an index finger in the air. “Can I just...” The other two stopped in their tracks and looked at her questioningly. “You go on, I'll catch up with you. I just forgot something.” For some completely _unreasonable_ reason she didn't want to tell her brother where she was going.

“What?” Vax's right eyebrow arched dangerously.

“Uuhm...” it was already painfully obvious to everyone that she wanted to lie to him, so she didn't even try. “I'll catch up with you”, she reassured him and turned once again towards her intended destination.

The door to Percy's workshop was closed and no sound was coming from inside so she rapped her finger lightly against it and waited for a moment. No reply. She tried again and was once again met with silence. At first she thought he might not be in, but he really couldn't be anywhere else so Vex cracked the door open, the metal cool under her hand, and peaked inside. Percy was there, sitting on his workbench, back turned to her, his head in his hands. He didn't even stir. “Percy...”, she whispered afraid he might be asleep.

“Mmm... What?...", he shot his head back and looked at her, eyes widening as they fell on the broom clutched in her hand. "Oh! Yes! Yes.”

“One quick question”, she said, tone inquiring, not really certain if he wanted her there.

“Yes!”, he replied eagerly.

“Because... Uhmmm... And I don't want to bother you!”, she stuttered. “Because I know, you know, it's been a...” How could she describe what has happened between them? “There's a lot going on. Uhm...” Yes, that was it, she had just lost all ability to form words. “But, uhhmmm...” How could she tell him that she didn't want anything more from him than what he wanted to give? That she just missed their easy friendship and they were going into the Feywild, and they were going to meet her father, and she was _petrified_... “But we're going into the Feywild...”

“Yes.” he offered, patiently waiting for her to find the words she was so desperately searching. He knew what it was like.

“Uhmmm...” Vex wanted to tell him everything that was in her mind but the thoughts overflowed and spilled out of her reach. “And...” The image of his turned face a few days back rushed inside her head and it was in such vast a contrast with the openness she was receiving from him this very moment that her heart sunk inside her chest. “I'm really...” ...sorry for whatever that fucking letter held that made you look so sad, she thought. But she couldn't tell him that, she couldn't push him that way. That wasn't why she had come here in the first place anyway! “Nervous about this broom!”, she nearly shouted, utter relief and a fair amount of exhaustion washing over her as the words left her mouth. But immediately the hot coil of worry started tangling inside her stomach once more as she witnessed Percy's normally icy eyes set ablaze.

“Do you see the giant mess in front of me right now?” he asked passionately making an almost neurotic movement with his head and pointing the bench with his chin. The truth is she hadn't. Numerous tiny and not so tiny metal and wooden parts, tools, straps and patches of leather, pieces of string and wire, polishes and glues were splayed on his workbench, all pieces of an invisible puzzle he was apparently solving inside his head.

“Yeah...?”, was all she managed, not sure if his intensity was directed at her or the “mess in front of him”.

“This...”, he paused locking eyes with her and she felt her heart pulsing in her throat. “Is the thing for your broom.” All his previous intensity turned into outright beaming happiness as he he got up and faced her casually leaning with one hand on the back of his chair. “I'm sitting here while you're drinking...”, he continued hastily but Vex interrupted him her hands flying on her chest, one palm over the other in surprise as she gasped. “Working on this.” Now there was a smirk on his stupid face.

“You were???” Vex simply couldn't believe it, she felt almost on the verge of crying. How this man could elicit such powerful emotions from her just by being himself eluded her. Her usually calm and sometimes indifferent demeanour she usually adopted, simply vanished in front of him, her empathy towards him led her to experience every feeling she saw on his face as her own. She had the unrelenting urge to hug him, but she stopped before she could even take a step towards him as he raised his hand and pointed at her.

“You will put a drink aside for me!”, he said in a dictating tone.

“Ok”, she complied.

“And I will see you either later tonight, if this goes very...” as he was speaking his eyes slid down her form and halted on her midsection, she followed his gaze and realized he was watching at her broom. Again. “Actually give me the broom.”

“Oh.” The change of subject was so sudden that she failed to follow for another split second. “Oh!”

“Just give me the broom. Give me the broom”, Percy mumbled extending a thoroughly smudged hand.

“Well, alright.” Vex handed him the broom. “But...”

Before she could continue he interrupted her repeating what he had started to say a few moments before, visibly calmer now that he had the broom in his hands. “I will either see you later tonight, or I will see you in the morning.”

“ _Don't_ lose sleep over it!” Well, that came out rather harsh. “If...” What was wrong with her today?!? “Unless you really want to.” Vex looked at her feet. “But I don't want to force you into anything...” Her eyes went back at him and she saw the same flame she saw before, only now it was accompanied by both his hands wringing the runed handle of her broom.

“This pains me!”, he blurted out one hand leaving the broom and banging on the workbench behind him causing a small rattle from the objects on it. “This pains me and it must be put down!” he was now repeatedly driving his index finger on the bench forcefully, making a rather loud tapping for such a small motion. “This must be put down and finished!” he yelled out with a final slam of his palm against the wood.

The determination Vex'ahlia saw in this man for something that was hers, the realisation that all this passion behind his words was directed at something that was directly linked with her own safety, made her nerves calm down completely. This was her friend. Whatever might happen, whatever might burden or anger him, even if he doesn't want to _speak_ to her, he will never stop caring. “Thank you dear”, she said softly, her normal velvety voice returning to replace the previous shrillness.

“Goodnight”, Percy whispered and turned to place her broom on his workbench, shutting out his surroundings, including her.

Vex'ahlia stepped out of his workshop with a content smile.

…..............

They had to leave Pike behind again, and all of their hearts broke a little. They tried to mend them at the best place they knew, the tavern.

The place was merrily busy, people going up and down the spaces between tables and benches carrying mugs, and tankards and plates, musicians playing their jolly tunes on one corner of the main room, numerous voices filling the air - all kinds of voices, loud, hushed, angry, happy, delirious, mocking, sad. Vex could never quite get used to that kind of racket, her keen half-elven hearing not helping one bit on that respect. Her curiosity over how Vax not only seemed to stand that kind of places but also actually enjoy them, would never cease. It's not that she didn't like these establishments, it's just that sometimes they could get So. Fucking. Loud! This was one of these days but, weirdly, today she didn't particularly care, a smile adorning her face and warming her eyes. She sensed eyes on her and, turning her head, she saw Scanlan studying her, an inscrutable expression on his face· not exactly grim, but definitely not his usual happy-go-lucky facade.

“Oi, you! Oi!”, he greeted her.

“What's going on?”, she asked with a smirk and sat down on a bench right between him and Vax, her brother immediately handing her a frothy tankard.

“Remember when I did you a favour? You came into my room and I taught you how to fly the broom”, Scanlan begun.

“I very much remember that, Scanlan”, her smile marginally widened with the memory of that night.

“And you said that you owed me one”, a very familiar mischievous glint sparked in his eyes.

“I owe you _so_ much”, she offered dryly, her usual way of conversing with others returning to her.

Scanlan smirked in return. “Here's the payback.”

“Oh, no”,she exclaimed with a healthy dose of good-natured sarcasm. She suddenly realized that she had actually learned to trust this tiny fucker, however tricksy he might be from time to time, even despite the fact that he didn't like Trinket - although this was a little less easy to swollow.

“You have to wear this fucking hat every time you fly”, his outstretched hand holding a weird, tall, black, conical hat with a wide brim. Everyone around had turned to look at their exchange curiously.

“This... This pointy motherfucker?”, she asked almost seductively as she slowly raised it above her head and equally slowly placed it on top of it, careful not to mess her braid or the feathers behind her ear. “How does it look?”, she asked, voice low and inviting.

“It looks _really_ cool”, Scanlan complimented her with a sincerity that looked almost alien on him.

“Well, there you go. I will gladly do this for you, Scanlan”, and she _meant_ it. She owed this man at least that much. This tiny, awkward man who was trying so hard to be good. Despite his size, she felt that he was more of a family to her than her father ever was.

“Thank you!” he said more jovially than before, humour returning to his face.

“So, this hat makes us even?”, Vex'ahlia pointed a finger at her head.

“That would make me _so_ happy!” He sounded almost giddy and Vex heard a snort and a chuckle that Vax apparently couldn't control. “The debt is paid!”, Scanlan announced loudly.

Vex couldn't help but cackle with abandon at that, causing a wave of laughter from around the table. When it subsided Scanlan raised his tankard and bumped it into hers lightly, sloshing some of his beer on their thighs.

“You know Vex, you're alright”, the gnome said with a tender smile.

“You too Scanlan”, Vex replied equally softly but something shifting again in his eyes gave her pause. “Are you though?”, she arched a delicately wild eyebrow.

“What?”, he asked confused.

Vex scooted closer to him and lowered her head nearer his level to whisper: “Alright. Are you alright, Scanlan?”

A rueful smile tugged at his lips. “Ah. Yes. Quite.”

“Are you sure?” A question tinged with concern.

“Don't worry Vex, I'm fine, really. It's just that... It's hard knowing you have been wrong for something you have been taking for granted for so long.” At Vex's puzzled expression he clarified: “I rescinded my marriage proposal.”

“What?”, Vex squeaked, quickly snapping around and dismissing the rest of the group's bewildered glances before she turned to Scanlan once again lowering her voice, effectively making their conversation private again. “Why?”

“Because I realized that I love her but I'm not _in_ love with her. Or at least I don't think I should be...”

Vex felt a chasm open inside her chest. “Why?”

“Because she doesn't love me back. Not in the way I thought I wanted anyway. It's as simple as that really.”

The chasm in her chest became a pit in her stomach. “How do you know she doesn't?”

“Vex, when you've lived as long as I have you can understand these things. It was in the small things really, the way she avoided me whenever I was trying to approach her, the way she looked sad or burdened whenever I revealed even a small amount of affection towards her, the way she actively pushed me away whenever she actually had a problem of her own because she couldn't cope with another weight on her tiny hairy shoulders”, he snickered half-heartedly. “But the worst of all was when she doubted herself about her feelings towards me and believed she was in fact in love with me. The few times this happened nearly tore me apart.”

“Oh”, was all Vex could manage between the hollow emptiness inside her and the cold sweat that had slowly started to form on her forehead.

“Don't worry Vex, I'll be fine! All the things I've told you are the ones that will help me overcome any remnants of that affection. I plan on turning all that energy towards my daughter. I will always love Pike, but Kaylie is the one and only most important thing in my life right now.” A bright smile full of pride and tenderness cleared his cloudy face and brought Vex back as well from her impending panic attack. Focus on family. Vax. Focus on family. Her brother.

“To family!” Vex raised her tankard and downed half of it in one gulp not waiting for the rest of Vox Macina to join her. Warm fuzziness instantly blurred her vision and her senses, and her mind returned to her new gift. Eyeing Scanlan meaningfully she raised her hands to the brim and tilted it on her head. “You know what, Scanlan? I like it! I appreciate it!”, she told him through a warm laughter that bubbled inside her.

“It looks beautiful on you”, he offered back with a soft pat on her tankard-holding hand.

“It is so... _Vex'ahlia_ ”, Pike chipped in, cheeks rosy and eyes unfocused, evidently much ahead of the rest of the group in the process of getting shitfaced...

“You know, I always felt quite self-conscious being the only one wearing a hat.” Keyleth looked a close second behind Pike.

“Plus, it looks aerodynamic”, Vax teased her, elbowing Vex's ribs playfully with one hand and hugging Pike close with the other. Vex laughed heartily at Grog's expense who was futilely attempting to mouth the word “ _aerodynamic_ ”. “But only if you're going up!”, her brother continued and Vex burst into an almost painful fit of laughter.

“Whoooosh!” she managed through giggles and tears, making an upward motion with her hands the laughter of her friends spurring her on, lifting her spirits from where they were crawling on the floor the last few days.

A new round of drinks arrived at their table as Vex noticed a sweaty, tired, but calm and happy Percy enter the tavern and make a beeline for her, her broom in his hand, some unknown items hanging from it. She quickly grabbed a tankard as carefully as half-elvenly possible and met him halfway extending both her hands, one to give and the other to receive. As soon as she took her broom in her hands Percy gave her a small nod over the rim of his tankard as he gulped down his beer, eyes locked on her. Vex weighed the broom in her hands, it was a little bit heavier, but not half as much as she expected. Her fingers slid over the carved surface of the handle and she instantly noticed a carving that wasn't there before· almost at the top of the handle, when her hands usually rest when she is flying. A few elven words were very subtly and elegantly carved. “ _Death from above_ ”. Her eyes widened and she almost squeaked in delight. She looked at Percy who was still watching her, still drinking, but with one corner of his mouth now raised and he looked pleased, almost smug. She could hug him. But she _had_ to ride her broom and she also knew that he is a scientist first and foremost and he wanted to see his invention at work. So she jumped on the saddle, feet on the stirrups, spoke the magic word and took off towards the ceiling with an enthusiastic “Thank you darliiiiing!”

Vex watched Percy watching her as he went to sit down next to Keyleth, so lost in her flying that he pointedly ignored the poor druid who was obviously trying to engage in some kind of conversation. She watched him watching her as she released the handle and flew safely above the tables with her hands behind her head. She watched him watching her as she nocked and released an arrow towards a cooked flying chicken in the blink of an eye. She watched him watching her and she could almost hear the cogs inside his brilliant head turning, clever eyes behind glasses darting around looking for the slightest defect, the slightest hazard. After a while she watched him relax visibly and then grabbing his drink, getting up, and going to sit next to Pike. From up high she watched her brother sitting next to Keyleth, the druid leaning almost completely on him, whispering something in his ear which made him take that disgustingly and adorably sweet look he has only for the redhead. She watched Scanlan talk animatedly, vulgar hand gestures and everything, to Grog who was drinking and laughing simultaneously and she saw them all for what they are, her family, her people, _hers_. So, naturally, the only thing she could do was fly behind Grog, kick him in the head and fly back up to reap the fruits of her efforts as the goliath bolted up and, with minimal but ingenious help from Scanlan, charged towards an equally enthusiastic but innocent man. Grog fought and laughed. Scanlan burst into song and laughed. Pike cheered Grog at the top of her lungs and laughed. Keyleth threw burnt chickens and laughed. Her brother still held her and laughed. Percy looked around him and laughed. Vex'ahlia had no other choice but to laugh herself.

 

They had to leave Pike behind again, and all of their hearts broke a little. They tried to mend them at the best place they knew, the tavern. But as welcome that small respite might be, it was not enough. One by one, they all sat next to Pike and talked privately for a while. Everyone except Vex. She didn't need to. Vex very seldom talked about her feelings but not because she hid them, that was her dear brother's trait. No, it was because she always _showed_ what she felt, so talking about it seemed redundant. This is why, when they were about to leave, she flew down next to Pike, picked her up, put her on her lap and flew out of the door with a theatric wave to the rest of her friends. Pike giggled all the way back to the castle, unless when briefly distracted by the starlit sky. When they arrived Vex gently put her down and dismounted her newly improved broom, kneeled on one knee in front of Pike and hugged her as tightly as she could without hurting her. “I love you _so_ much, darling!”

“I love you too Vex! You're one of my best friends”, the endearing gnome replied with a soft smile as a tear run down her cheek.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments, corrections and suggestions are always welcome. Thank you for reading! ^_^


	3. Spring Charm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter, another Adrian von Ziegler song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGkuJlEZy04
> 
> Into the Feywild it is. :D
> 
> [Upped the rating because of nymph nudity. :P ]

Saying goodbye was so much easier than Vex had expected. Maybe it was the previous night, or the magical trip ahead, or, much more likely, the very recent brush with death and the high that always seems to follow. Vex had had a fair share of brushes – and a straight up collision - with death. Vax as well, which made her shudder. In fact, they all had, which made it so much more understandable to be in a celebratory mood after each one as they all knew what was at stake and what was won every time they emerged victorious from a battle, no matter how hard, no matter how scarring - physically or otherwise. None of them had any illusions that they had survived this far on skill alone· they were good, but they certainly were not _that_ good. So they had come to terms with the fact that most of the time they were just lucky. And that was a pretty damn good reason to be happy.

They were gathered in front of the Castle Whitestone gate, a small awkward silence permeating the crisp morning air. Lady Allura with her mellow tone was the first to speak and give them her goodbyes, soft and calming. She reminded Vex of her tutor back in Syngorn, a very _very_ old elven woman with the grace and wisdom of a god and a demeanour to match· a benevolent and caring god, but a god nonetheless, distant and impersonal. She always found the brash and uncouth – and currently absent – lady Kima much more likeable. At Allura's side, the Realmseeker merely gave a respectful nod at their direction as Cassandra stepped down the stairs and placed her head on Percy's shoulder. She desperately _tried_ to appear formal but failed as the still unsure but tender affection towards her brother shone through and made Vex want to gawk and just smile stupidly at them, the long lost siblings with so much pain and suffering run between them, with no time to actually talk or simply get used to each other again, but finally managing to get back into a more comfortable relationship. It was heartwarming. When “lord” Cassandra headed back inside the castle, “lord” Pike followed her after a short round of farewells. Gilmore - lovely, _glorious_ Gilmore - stepped in front of them and Vex smiled, as she always did around him. They may not be that close, but Vex considered him family by now. Even after what happened with Vax. No, _especially_ after what happened with Vax. She knew her brother never meant to hurt him, but she also knew that an affection like the one Shaun had for him did not go away that easily – if ever. Vex smiled and when their eyes met he winked at her smiling back reassuringly. Well, he could always understand her in a glance and, strangely enough, it never surprised her which was precisely why, besides Pike and Zahra, Gilmore was the only other person she missed when they left. As she stepped in the portal created by Keyleth, Vex looked back one last time and the reassurance she saw in Gilmore's eyes had turned into something else entirely, sympathy.

When Vox Machina stepped in the Feywild and Vax inquired about her aghast state she simply blamed it on the trip and the surreal plane of existence around them.

 

…..............

 

The place was truly magical. The colours of the landscape were pale blues and greens, purples, pinks and oranges. The tall grass surrounding them, was caressing their legs as they looked around, appearing almost teal under the dusky sky. The breeze that chilled their faces travelled through the forest in front of them and smelled of moss and dew. The trees were a dark, dull green, willowy and covered in vines, small pools of water scattered among them and tiny wispy lights dancing around them. A faint mist muted the colours around the party and adorned each one of the small lights with an extra thin halo.

“This is fantastic!”, Percy exclaimed.

“We got drugged”, was all Grog had to offer, clearly equally astonished as the rest of them but lacking the capacity to process that kind of environment. “Is anyone else seeing the colours and the shapes and the...”

“That is everything I could have hoped for”, Percy continued mostly to himself, looking around like a child in his first trip to a candy-maker's shop. He looked so young, Vex thought, so much closer to his true age. It was so rare for him to look so genuinely exhilarated.

Keyleth was equally ecstatic, but much, _much_ louder. “I wanna live here!”

Vex winced at the shrillness of the druid's voice. Always so fucking loud, and so unaware of her surroundings. It was almost as if she hadn't learnt a thing all this time they've been together, all the dangers they had faced flew by her head leaving no new knowledge inside. She was _infuriating_. And Vax adored her like a goddess, like she was the wisest person he knew which was infuriating by its own right, but Vex knew she had no say in her brother's feelings – nor did she want to -, she could only accept. It's not that she hated the ashari, she knew she came from a good place and that she always meant well, it's just that she was always so unbelievably naïve and self-righteous – a dangerous combination in Vex's book – and stubborn as fuck. She made silly mistakes by being careless, she passed judgement on everyone with her binary notion about morality and she was scared shitless of pain, hers most of all. Vex'ahlia will never forget her words after... Well, after her death. “ _I was so afraid of losing both of you_ ”. One of her companions – her _friend_ \- had just died and brought back to life, her brother, the person she seemed to like most of all, maybe even love in her own very unique way, had just given himself to the Goddess of Death as a trade, and the only thing Keyleth could think about was that _she_ would feel the pain of losing them. It rubbed Vex the wrong way that the druid was supposed to be the group's “moral compass”. She was such a deeply selfish person and she didn't even know. It was almost sad. And, apparently, distracting.

The ranger abandoned her thoughts on the constant mystery that the druid provided and looked around trying to decipher the signs of nature she knew like the back of her hand. She might be seething right now, but she had a job to do. Which she evidently couldn't because this place was so fucking strange. Everything looked familiar at first, similar to what they knew from their plane – trees, grass, flowers, water, soil – but it was so fundamentally different. The colours were a bit off, the textures were marginally smoother, the smells more pungent, distractingly so. She could try, but she had to get used of the place first.

“Well, I have no idea how to get our bearings here, unfortunately”, Vex announced, exasperation apparent in her tone.

Vax turned his head towards her and eyed her. Worried again. She shrugged at him.

Percy didn't even hear, still lost in his enthusiastic appraisal of the scenery around them. Vex saw his eyes widen and his smile getting bigger, following his gaze she saw a huge ruined wall several feet away. Those blasted fairy lights illuminating the damp stone.

“I see a thing!”, he shouted and set off running towards the wall.

“Wait! Percy, but...”, Vex'ahlia tried to caution.

“Oh! I wanna see a thing!” Keyleth took off behind Percy.

Fucking great! “Percy!” He wasn't even listening for crying out loud. The ranger was completely helpless between determination and ignorance. Her fingers weaved through her hair as she clutched her head. “Ok... Wow...”, she muttered to herself. “Perhaps it might be wise to move quietly!”, she whisper-shouted through the earring.

“It's pretty but it's dangerous”, Vax filled in, not completely blinded yet by the druid's childish desires to hop around merrily.

And she did. Hop around merrily. If they were anywhere else but in a totally foreign place _in another dimension_ Vex would be almost compelled to join her and make daisy chains or something, that's how happy she looked. But they were here, in the Feywild and Keyleth – _and_ Percy, she had to remind herself – were running blissfully as if they were on a field trip. “It _is_ very dangerous. And they do not understand”, Vex added.

“Guys look! Fireflies!”, the druid shouted once again as Percy drew nearer the wall, the tiny lights scattering upon their approach and flying towards the trees. Vex threw her hands in the air and sighed audibly.

These weren't fireflies, she was sure, they were something else. At first Vax thought they were will-o'-wisps but they weren't quite as big and too jittery, Vex thought. Will-o'-wisps or not, they could still be malevolent so they should all be careful, yet the besties duo were being anything but.

“At least if they die we will have enough time to flee”, Grog said with a pointed shrug. It was ridiculous how even the goliath who couldn't count straight from one to five, was more aware of the risks they were currently facing.

Percy, who was getting closer and closer to the wall turned to Keyleth and whispered: “Don't touch! And stay eleven paces away.” Ever the pragmatist, even in his utmost excitement.

“Ok!”, Keyleth offered like a barely contained child.

Vex'ahlia did the only thing she found reasonable enough at the moment, she leapt up a tree to examine ahead and cover them if she needed to.

The wall in front of them was part of a bigger building, long destroyed, by man or nature she could not tell. The stones were moist and mossy and blooming vines were hugging the remaining structure as if to strangle the last remnants of it. From up there, Vex saw behind the wall a considerably bigger body of water, still and extremely reflective, piles upon piles of rubble visible inside, and something else. A faint movement...

Vex turned her gaze just as Keyleth was stretching her hand to touch a small white flower on a vine. “Don't! Touch! _Anything_!”, she immediately warned through the earring.

Keyleth's hand faltered and Percy abandoned his sketching. “Keyleth... Please don't touch it.”

“I'm just...”, her hand trembled a bit. “I'm just gonna...”, she stepped a bit closer her eyes never leaving the small flower. “I just...”, it was obvious she had already made up her mind. “It's so pretty!”, Keyleth said, giddy as ever and her fingers touched a frail white petal... And nothing happened.

A unanimous mental sigh of relief was shared between the members of Vox Machina as Vex climbed down the higher branches of the tree, nearer to the ground, a small pinch of mirth at her lips. Maybe she overreacted there a bit. Keyleth is a good person, no matter her faults, and they all have plenty of those anyway. Vex thought that it was just the place, it kept her on edge because she couldn't yet make it out, she couldn't quite grasp the way it worked. Keyleth was just being herself and, if she had to be completely honest, it was actually Percy who run first, and Keyleth was bound to follow, easily excited as she is. She really shouldn't blame...

Keyleth picked the flower.

Immediately the vines retreated with a hiss, crawling along the stone like snakes and Keyleth gasped taking a few steps away instinctively. The flower itself turned an ashy black in the druid's hand, it's petals withered around her fingers. Keyleth's face fell.

“Oh... I cannot believe you just killed a living being”, Vex deadpanned. She really didn't think this was such a big deal, but the druid did, and she really had to start taking responsibility for her own actions. Maybe making her feel bad was the way.

Keyleth pouted and looked at the flower, sadness covering her beautiful face. “I was going to press it and keep it.”

That's when Vex'ahlia heard the water behind the water shift.

“We should probably hide”, she warned and became one with the branch she was standing on.

Vax darted behind a nearby tree, practically vanishing. It was always so impressive when he did that, Vex marvelled at his immeasurable skill.

Talking about skill, Scanlan was scratching his back on Grog's knee... There was definitely some kind of divine gift involved in that particular happenstance, Vex was sure of that, she just couldn't grasp it with her plain half-elven mind.

Keyleth panicked visibly at Vex'ahlia's voice and tried to put the withered flower back, but there was no vine anymore. She attempted to place the miserable bundle of dead flora in a crack between two stones as a last resort, but it inevitably fell down by her feet as Percy gently grabbed her by the shoulders and began to drag her backwards away from the wall.

A small greenish hand appeared on top of said wall and they all startled. Another followed, droplets of water from it saturating the wall under its grasp. A shiny wet crown of sleek, long, dark blue-green hair emerged, accompanied by a striking face of a young woman. It was soft, the features round, the eyes big and dark, the lips full. Vex started. This woman was gorgeous! She looked at them with an irresistible mixture of fear, surprise and intense curiosity. She was beautiful but at the same time so sweet and innocent-looking. And then she raised herself above the wall to reveal a perfect nude body, so perfect it was ridiculous.

Vex'ahlia knew she, herself, was a rather beautiful woman and she never doubted herself on that respect. Until now, that is. The nymph's figure was impossibly curvy in places that were in stark contrast with the narrowness of others, creating an ideal body that no mortal woman could have. What made that sweet little thing almost angelic was the fact that her nudity was so natural, her purity so undoubted and her goodness so apparent that no-one in their right mind could ever look at her like _that_. Immediately Vex turned to Scanlan.

Of course he was eyeing the nymph lewdly.

Grog too, but he could have actual memories so he was somewhat excused.

Her brother was still invisible.

Keyleth was so entranced by the creature, Vex was sure she had already forgotten about the flower she was so sad about mere moments before.

Vex'ahlia stole a glance of Percy and she felt a pang inside her stomach. He was enraptured. She saw his clever mind struggling to come up with something to say but he was flustered, his inherent propriety fighting with his nature. It was painfully obvious that he liked what he saw, so much so that he wasn't even in a position to speak. Percy. Speechless... She had never seen him like that before in all the five years they had lived together. He was actually blushing! This would be amusing if it wasn't so... vexing. He bowed hurriedly at the creature, no doubt to absolve himself of the temptation to look at parts common decorum advised not to look at.

The moment Percy moved his head, the edgy dryad threw her hands up and a small beam of pearly light and stardust flew from her chubby fingers. Vex gripped the branch she was laying on so hard, she felt splinters dig into her skin. She had nearly jumped in front of their tinkerer, but she didn't know what that creature's powers were and what she would do if startled once more. She, at least, _had_ to keep her mind about her and be careful. So Vex'ahlia stayed put and observed Percy as he waved a hand in front of his face, eyes frozen in front of him in a most unnatural way. He was fucking _blind_.

Vex'ahlia should feel sorry for him and his predicament. If only she weren't so angry. There was some sweet – and entirely spiteful, she should admit to herself – satisfaction watching him flustered still, but for a totally different reason. She could kiss the naked lady's hands for the divine justice they had just delivered. But Percy was now clutching onto Keyleth, visibly in shock, and Vex remembered just how much he wanted to see the Feywild, his highly improbable childhood dream had actually come to pass and he was no longer able to experience it fully. Just because he admired undeniable beauty. And because he tried to be polite. This wouldn't do, this wouldn't do at all. She started climbing down the tree as the nymph retreated behind the wall and swam under the surface of the lake.

Grog jumped over the wall and Vex could only hear his voice as she ran towards Percy now visibly burdening Keyleth with his weight around her shoulders. The ranger grabbed his free arm and flung it around her own shoulders, managing a small smile towards the druid that gave her a thankful look.

“Percy, are you alright?”, she asked truly concerned, yet there was also a lightness in her voice she couldn't conceal, the absurdity and the utter hilarity of the situation no longer lost to her.

Percy's head turned towards her, quite closer to hers than he intended, though totally unaware of that fact in his current state, eyes focusing on a place behind Vex'ahlia's head. “Are you possibly enjoying this, dear?”, he asked with an amused smirk, his initial shock subsiding.

Vex's heart skipped a beat at his sudden proximity and she threw her gaze to the ground, effectively pretending to be extremely cautious of their footing. “Not as much as I should, darling. I assure you”, she replied coolly, actively striving to conceal the tremble in her voice.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At this point I would like to emphasize that Keyleth might not be my favourite, but I do like her. What you read is a very exaggerated opinion.
> 
> Also, bear in mind that in situations of extreme anxiety, people can easily get very irritable. So cut poor Vex some slack here, she is not being bitchy, just brutally honest with her feelings - most of the time anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd love to know your thoughts so far.  
> Also, since this is not a complete fic, if you have any suggestions plotwise, they are more than welcome! ^_^
> 
> PS: More tags will be added as the story progresses.


End file.
